Combustion chamber with annular target area



June 6, 1950 R; GODDARD COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH ANNULAR TARGET AREA Filed Hay 1 1, 1946 2d, Dad. 5mm:

- ZZZ Z/d MMf/T M45 ,ATTY- Patented June 6, 1950 COMBUSTION CHAMBER HANNULAR TARGET AREA Robert H. Goddard, deceased, late of Annapolis, Md., by Esther C. Goddard, executrix, Paxton, Mass., assignor of one-hall to The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 11, 1946, Serial No. 669,057

This invention relates to a combustion chamber of the type in which combustion liquids are injected along intersecting paths and toward the inner or closed end of the chamber.

It is the general object of the invention to provide an annular target area for engagement by the combustion liquids and to provide means for injecting the combustion liquids from points both within and without the annular target area.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which 1 Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a combustion chamber embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional side elevation of certain structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view to be described;

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary plan views of modified target surfaces;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail to be described; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a modified spray opening.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, a combustion chamber C is provided with a reentrant portion Ill at its inner or closed end, and this reentrant portion is provided with an annular target recess or concave annular groove 82.

The chamber C and its discharge nozzle N may be enclosed by a casing l4 providing a jacket space l5 to which one of the combustion liquids is supplied through a feed pipe 16. Vanes or partitions H in the jacket space surrounding the nozzle N direct the liquid forward and axially along the jacket space l5 to feed openings 22, through which openings the liquid is sprayed toward the closed end of the chamber as indicated by the arrow a.

An outer end casing 25 provides a jacket space 26 enclosing the inner end portion of the combustion chamber C and also jacketing the reentrant portion IO and the target recess l2. The jacket space 26 is connected with a volute 21 to which a second combustion liquid is supplied through a feed pipe 28. Vanes or partitions 29 in the jacket space 26 direct the second combustion liquid radially inward toward the reentrant portion lll, from which the second liquid 8 Claims. (CL 60-4545) is injected through feed openings along paths 5 indicated by the arrows b.

The sprays indicated by the arrows a and b intersect along a circular line in front of the annular target recess l2 and spaced a relatively short distance'therefrom. As the sprays intersect, a substantial intermingling takes place and any drops of the liquids which pass through the intersection will engage the target recess where they will 'be additionally intermingled. The thoroughly intermingled liquids will then be returned to the combustion area.

In Fig. 4 a preferred construction of the reentrant portion Ill is shown, with the approach of the liquid to the opening 30 directed rearward toward the target recess by an annular shield or partition 35. With this construction, delivery of the second liquid along the lines indicated by the arrows b is assured and all parts of the reentrant portion Hl are effectively cooled.

While the target recess I2 is indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 as of gently curved and concave section, this section may be modified to the V-shaped section shown at 40 in Fig. 5, or or a series of circular concave depressions as indicated at $2 in Fig. 6.

The feed openings, as 22 and 30, may be formed in annular wall portions 5d (Fig. '1) pressed outward in the wall of the combustion chamber C, so that the openings, as 22, will be nearly perpendicular to the surfaces in which they are formed.

Feed openings 66 (Fig. 8) provided with annular notches 6! on the jacket-space side may be substituted for the feed openings 22 or 3t when preferred.

Preferred forms of the invention having n. thus described, the invention is not to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what is claimed is:

l. A combustion chamber having a reentrant axial portion at its inner a .d closed end and having an annular target area surrounding said reentrant portion, and means to direct sprays of combustion liquids along intersecting paths to said annular target area.

2. A combustion chamber having a reentrant axial portion at its inner and closed end and having a portion of said closed end constituting an annular target area surrounding said re entrant portion, and means to direct sprays of combustion liquids along intersecti g paths to said annular target area from points both radially inward and radially outward with respect to said target area.

3. The combination in a combustion chamber as set forth in claim 2, in which the portion oi the closed end which constitutes the target area has an inner annular concave target depression.

4. The combination in a combustion chamber as set forth in claim 2, in which the portion or the closed end which constitutes the target area has an inner annular target groove of V-shaped section.

5. The combination in a combustion chamber as set forth in claim 2, in which the portion of the closed end which constitutes the target area has an inner annular series of spaced concave target depressions.

6. A combustion chamber having a body portion and an end portion, separate jacket spaces enclosing said body and said end portions, said end portion having an annular target area intermediate the axis and the periphery of said end portion, means to supply one combustion liquid to one jacket space, means to supply another combustion liquid to the other jacket space} and means to direct intersecting sprays of said liquids to said annular target area from said jacket spaces.

'7. A combustion chamber having a body portion and an end portion, separate jacket spaces enclosing said body and said end portions, said end portion having an annular target area intermediate the axis and the periphery of said end portion, means to supply one combustion liquid to one jacket space, means to supply another combustion liquid to the other jacket space, and

4 means to direct intersecting sprays of said liquids to said annular target area from said jacket spaces and from points both radially inward and radially outward with respect to said annular target area.

B. A combustion chamber having a reentrant axial end wall at its inner and closed end, a jacket providing a jacket space for said closed end and for said reentrant end wall, teed openings in said reentrant end wall, and an annular shield within said reentrant end wall and within said Jacket space and which is eflective to direct the liquid in said jacket space to the extreme inner end of said reentrant wall portion as it approaches said feed openings.

ESTHER C. GODDARD, Ezecutria: of the Last Will and Testament of Robert H. Goddard, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,007,794 Peabody Nov. 7, 1911 2,217,649 Goddard Oct. 3, 1940 2,286,909 Goddard June 16, 1942 2,405,465 Summerfleld Aug. 6, 1946 2,417,445 Pinkel Mar. 18, 1947 

